Kathmandu- Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue has banned the import of several goods from Nepal, India, and Bhutan, according to a gazette notification issued on Sunday.

The banned items include yarn, powdered milk, tobacco, newsprint, and various types of paper, local media reported.

Specifically, Bangladesh has prohibited the import of all processed and raw items, except thread and potatoes, from Nepal and Bhutan.

For India, the embargo covers duplex board, newsprint, craft paper, fish, thread, potatoes, powdered milk, tobacco, radio and TV parts, bicycle and motor parts, ceramics, and sanitary items. However, VAT-registered local cigarette manufacturers are still allowed to import raw tobacco stalks from India.

The notification stated the bans aim to protect local industries and curb the smuggling of items like textiles, paper, and ceramics.

Meanwhile, India has revoked a transshipment facility that previously allowed Bangladesh to export goods to third countries via Indian territory. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) issued a circular on April 8, canceling the provision introduced in June 2020.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the move was due to congestion at ports and airports, which was delaying logistics, increasing costs, and hampering India’s own exports. With the revocation, Bangladeshi exporters can no longer use India to reach third-country markets including Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.